Research into what assures readers of corporate non-financial reports and new GRI sector guidelines have been published. Meanwhile a group of 11 NGOs has pledged to comply with a code of conduct aimed at creating greater accountability in the not-for-profit sector.
Re: assurance
How to build public trust in corporations is the subject of a new study written by AccountAbility, with financial backing from Pricewaterhouse Coopers. According to What Assures?, published on June 12, companies need to understand what will assure users of non-financial information that the information they receive is right and can be relied on to make. This will “involve continuous engagement by companies and assurers with a wide range of stakeholders”, with the focus on predictors of future performance.
But it isn’t only companies that need to keep progressing. Providers of assurance will need expertise in wide-ranging areas from compliance with pricing regulations, to ethical sourcing and environmental management to ensure that they themselves have credibility in the eyes of the stakeholders they seek to assure. Contact Philip Monaghan, AccountAbility 020 7549 0400 www.accountability.org.uk
Bring on the OFR
More than three-quarters of investors and analysts want companies to publish full operating and financial reviews, despite the government’s last-minute decision to drop the requirement, research has found. The results of a survey of 250 city professionals, published by IR Magazine on June 27 show that nearly four-fifths (78%) of fund managers and analysts think companies should publish a full OFR, providing narrative on their performance and prospects to support the data in annual reports. Contact IR Magazine 020 7251 7500 www.ironthenet.com
NGO accountability gets going
Eleven international NGOs on July 11 signed a voluntary code of conduct to make the non-profit sector more accountable and pre-empt criticism of its rising influence over governments and companies.
Signatories to the International Non-governmental Organisations Accountability Charter include ActionAid, Amnesty International, Greenpeace, Oxfam and Transparency International. The document consists of a declaration of values together with seven operating principles covering areas such as financial independence, good governance, responsible advocacy, and ethical fundraising.
There is no independent monitoring of the Charter, although the signatories commit to report their compliance each year. Contact Judit Arenas, Amnesty 07778 472 188 www.amnesty.org
Best foot forward
The Global Reporting Initiative has published a draft version of its Apparel and Footwear Sector Supplement on June 7.The draft provides reporting guidance based on GRI’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines for companies engaged in the production and sales of apparel and footwear.
Developed by a multi-stakeholder working group representing different constituencies and geographic regions, the document is open for public comment until August 28.
GRI also launched its Logistics and Transport Sector Supplement on June 13. Convened with the help of the World Economic Forum, it highlights sustainability performance indicators specific to the logistics and transportation sector. Contact Alyson Slater, GRI 00 31 20 531 0000 www.globalreporting.org
What’s at stake?
Camelot, British Telecom, Camelot and EDF are among the sponsors of a programme of research to develop more effective stakeholder panels. The project is looking at different ways in which companies are already using stakeholder panels. Outputs will include a set of recommendations and a framework to help practitioners to design and implement effective stakeholder panels. AccountAbility and France-based think-tank Utopies are co-ordinating the research. Contact Jeanette Oelschlagel, AccountAbility 020 7549 0400 www.accountability.org.uk
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